Counter.dev Selfhost vs Shynet
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Counter.dev Selfhost | Shynet |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 69 · Good |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,009 | ★ 3,155 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
What are Counter.dev Selfhost and Shynet?
Counter.dev Selfhost
Counter.dev is a minimalist, privacy-respecting web analytics service that can be self-hosted. It records page visits without cookies and shows a compact stats view.
- Cookie-free analytics
- Minimal dashboard
- Easy embed
- Privacy respecting
Shynet
Shynet is a modern, privacy-friendly, and detailed web analytics platform that works without cookies and even without JavaScript. It targets users wanting solid analytics with strong privacy. It is deployed via Docker.
- Works without JavaScript or cookies
- Detailed session insights
- Multiple sites and users
- Privacy-respecting
Counter.dev Selfhost vs Shynet: key differences
Counter.dev Selfhost is written in JavaScript, while Shynet is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Counter.dev Selfhost versus Apache-2.0 for Shynet. Counter.dev Selfhost is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Shynet. Shynet has the considerably larger community, at 3,155 GitHub stars versus 1,009.
Why pick each one
Choose Counter.dev Selfhost if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
Choose Shynet if…
- Strong privacy
- Works without JS
- Detailed sessions
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Fewer integrations
Frequently asked questions
Is Counter.dev Selfhost or Shynet better?
Neither is universally better. Shynet has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Counter.dev Selfhost and Shynet free and open-source?
Yes. Counter.dev Selfhost is licensed under MIT and Shynet under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Counter.dev Selfhost and Shynet with Docker?
Counter.dev Selfhost: yes. Shynet: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Counter.dev Selfhost or Shynet?
Counter.dev Selfhost has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Shynet. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.